Crimes against Humanity 1794

When one thinks of genocide one thinks of Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, and Auschwitz. Unfortunately this is not the case. In a country which dedicated itself to, tolerance, to liberty, to equality, and to brotherhood, committed an atrocity so great that the people of the area still call for justice. Yet,few know of it. That place is the area called by it's occupants the Vendee. That is the area immediately south of the Loire River in west central France.

Here I translate a portion from the web site, Le génocide vendéen. If you have a queasy stomach do not read further. If you have a desire for truth...

An incident from the barbarities implemented by the Infernal columns, the tanning of human skins.

Piece no. 262 of the Extracts of the Deliberations and Depositions of Angers relating to the testimony of Claude John Humeau to the court of Angers August 26 1795: "That Pecquel surgeon to the 4th battalion of the Ardennes Regiment skinned 32 corpses, to carry to Lemonnier, tanner to the Ponts-Libres (now calledthe Ponts-de-Cé), to tan them, that the masters there refused, that he knows that the skins were deposited at the house Prud'homme, manchonnier (leather coupler?) of Angers" Godard Faultrier relates a conversation that he had with a shepherd named Robin that was 13to 14 years old and was witness of the committed horrors. Page 13, one reads in part: ...one cut the skin to the under belt, then alongside each of the thighs to the ankle of the feet in the such a manner that after the removal, the pants that are left are formed. It only remained to tan it and to sew it...”.

There are still some who refuse to believe this happened, even after being presented with the evidence. In 1986 Reynald Secher wrote a book (which is advertised on the left) called the The French Genocide, The Vendee, he was immediately ridiculed by the elitists who justified the infernal columns as a necessary, the count of those murdered as being exaggerated and some saying Secher was having a fantasy. Some even proclaim that the genocide as quasi-mythical...

One thing is for sure, the Vendeans can not be accused of sending columns into France to murder the populace...

The best description of the genocide in the vendee has been written (in blood) by one of it's criminals, General François Joseph Westermann, "There is no more Vendée, Republican citizens. It died beneath our free sword, with its women and its children. I have just buried it in the swamps and the woods of Savenay. Following the orders that you gave to me, I crushed the children beneath the horses' hooves, massacred the women who, those at least, will bear no more brigands. I do not have a single prisoner to reproach myself with. I have exterminated them all..."[1]

Vive le Roy!
Brantigny

(1) Secher, Reynald. A French Genocide: The Vendee. University of Notre Dame Press, (2003). p. 110 ISBN 0268028656

Cafeteria Catholics...

There is a popular Protestant(1) misconception that the Catholic Church does not teach, open, or outright forbids Catholics to read the Bible. This is patently wrong. I have been told this personally. Do not attempt to argue with these people, facts only confuse them.

The Full Gospel Churches down the road do not teach anything which is not in accordance with their view. Usually this involves the Book of Daniel, and Revelations. Which like the liberals in the Congress allow them a lot of leeway to read into scripture what view fits their view.

For example, we have a friend who is a Baptist woman. She sits on her Church committee for choosing a pastor. Since her Baptist church voted to have women pastors, if a prospective pastor, fresh from the theological seminary does not agree he will not get the job. They voted on what they believe.

Much of what the Reformation has done (and I am afraid, Vatican II has been misinterpreted on this point) has come about because the faithful have decided what their faith will and does say. These are Cafeteria Catholics. Unfortunatly some are lead by their Priests. Which leads into the next article, from the April 9 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer...

Catholic church will continue to shrink if faith is not followed
Posted by Martin Dybicz April 05, 2009 05:00AM

After reading the opinions expressed in The Plain Dealer these last few weeks, I am wondering what the reaction will be when consolidation takes place again in another 25 years, making this one look like small potatoes.

If present trends continue, consolidation will take place then for the same reason it is taking place now: Those who are leading Catholic institutions are not proclaiming, nearly enough, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is only fully articulated in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church."

The dirty little secret is that many of these "leaders" do not believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is fully articulated in the Catechism. As a result, too many Catholic institutions are led by "cafeteria Catholics" (who pick and choose what they want from the faith) for, what is too often the case, other "cafeteria Catholics" (who like the morphing of the Catholic Church into the Unitarian Church). more...

Dybicz is a theology teacher at St. Ignatius High School.

Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny

(1) I include Basptists (of all the diverse sects), Presbyterians, Evangelicals, COG, and all Other Than Catholic religions under this title.

Louis and Marie-Antoinette 1774

...In the summer of 1774 Antoinette and Louis were often found together, outdoors, talking, walking and hanging out. Antoinette was recently in receipt of the Petit Trianon, a place she wanted "to do just what I like in it..."More...

I have heard a similar sentiment echoed by my wife about her patio.

C'est l'Amour...

Thanks and a tip of the beret to Lauren at Marie-Antoinette's Gossip Guide

Vive le Roy!
Brantigny

Marie Adelaide de Savoie

I have a confession to make. I once purchased a copy of Nancy Mitford's tome The Sun King, about Louis XIV. I was enchanted by this portrait Marie Adelaide. I still have the book and when ever I look at this portrait, and endearing feeling overcomes me.

Here we see her in a hunting dress, no Royalty of France was ever far from a horse or on horseback during the reign of Louis XIV! Bourbon's lived for the hunt, no doubt that is why Versailles started off as a hunting lodge by Louis XIII. (Some hunting lodge!)

Elena-Marie directs us to Enchanted by Josephine and this article about Marie Adelaide of Savoy.

Anyone who reads my blog will note that I have only briefly mentioned the Ogre or Josephine Beauharnais, but if Elena-Marie recommends a story I trust her judgement.

Vive le Roy!
Brantigny

Mireille Mathieu, Demoiselle D'Orleans

Puisque Edith Piaf est mort il n'y a pas eu de voix femelle comme cet étaient, qui a capturé le ton des Français plus que Mireille Mathieu. Cette chanson, traduite, est le mot au mot un commentaire suffisant sur ce qu'il signifie pour avoir que certain l'image de ce qu'il signifie pour être français. Si vous comprenez cette chanson, il amènera des larmes à vos yeux.

Since Edith Piaf died there has been no female voice as it were, which captured the tone of the French people more than Mireille Mathieu. This song, translated word for word, is a fitting commentary on what it means to have that certain Frenchness. If you can understand the song it will bring tears to you eyes.

Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny.

Hommage à Notre Dame du Rosaire

La Vierge du Rosaire entre saint Dominique et sainte Catherine de Sienne

The Virgin of the Rosary between Saint Dominique and Saint Catherine of Sienna

Jhesu+Marie
Brantigny

St Vitus Cathedral in Prague

My friends Nicolas and Helen Mozak in Belgorad visited Prague and sent me some pictures of St Vitus Cathedral.

St. Vitus's Cathedral is the largest and the most important church in Prague. Apart from divine services the coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place in it. The remains of provincial patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops are interred here.

The cathedral is the third church consecrated to the same saint on the identical site. About the year 925 Prince Vaclav I founded a Romanesque rotunda here which after 1060 was converted into a triple-naved basilica with two steeples. The importance of the cathedral grew especially after the establishment of the Prague bishopric in 973 and the founding of the body of canons - the St. Vitus chapter, which later became an important cultural and administrative institution.

In 1344 Charles IV began the construction of a Gothic cathedral. Its first builders, Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler, built the choir with a ring of chapels, St. Wenceslas's Chapel, the Golden Portal and the lower part of the main steeple. In spite of the endeavours of some sovereigns to secure the continuation of the construction work the cathedral remained uncompleted for whole centuries. The main steeple was crowned with a Renaissance helmet and the music choir was built. The facade of the cathedral was provisionally closed.

It was not until the latter half of the 19th century that the Union for the Completion of the Building of St. Vitus's Cathedral began the repair of the original part and the completion of the building of the cathedral in Neo-Gothic style. The cathedral was solemnly consecrated in 1929. Its interior was subjected to adaptations even in later years.

Visitors enter the cathedral through the portal in the western facade, opposite the passage-way between the Second and Third Courtyards of Prague Castle. Its bronze door is decorated with reliefs with scenes from the history of the cathedral and from the legends about St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert.
The Neo-Gothic part of the cathedral consists of the main nave and the narrow side aisles, lined with chapels, and the northern wing of the transverse nave. The chapels have stained glass windows.

The construction of the large southern steeple was started by Peter Parler, but he did not complete it. It gained its originally planned height after being provided with a Renaissance helmet in the 16th century. St. Wenceslas's Chapel partly reaches on to the area of the transverse nave. The different conception of its architecture and its magnificent decoration emphasize its importance as the central point of the cathedral as a whole. The solemn entrance to the cathedral, the Golden Portal, affords access to the chapel from the Third Courtyard.

Situated in the choir of the cathedral, in front of the high alter, is the royal mausoleum below which, in the crypt, there is the royal tomb. The choir is surrounded by a ring of Gothic chapels. Czech sovereigns and patron saints are interred in some of them.

St. Wenceslas's Chapel is the cult centre of St. Vitus's Cathedral. Its magnificent decoration and the different conception of its architecture emphasize its singularity as the central point of the cathedral with the tomb of the most important provincial patron saint.

The facing of the walls, consisting of precious stones, and the wall paintings of the Passion cycle are parts of the original 14th-century decoration of the chapel.

The scenes from the life of St. Wenceslas forming another decorative band are attributed to the workshop of the Master of the Litomerice Altar (the cycle is dated in 1509). The door in the south-western corner of the chapel leads to the Crown Chamber in which the Bohemian coronation jewels are kept.

Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny

The photos are from both Nicholas and from the St Vitus web site found here...

Nicholas and Helen are interpreters and have a web site here... they are both interested in the Napoleonic wars especially the invasion of 1812. They have amassed a great deal of information, and a gallery of art which is exceptional. They reside in Belgorad, Russia.

Market Day at Petite Trianon.

The Queen Martyr is often viewed as being aloof and apart from her people of France, I suppose this is in some way an effort to demonize her and therefore justify the evil done to her. Elena-Marie once again gives us a better view of St. Marie-Antoinette...

Marie-Antoinette is frequently associated with shopping, but how did she shop? It is often forgotten that Versailles, being open to the public, was a place of commerce; vendors set up their stalls in the courtyards and galleries of the palace. As for the Queen, she would usually receive tradesmen in the morning while her hair was being dressed. However, she always sought ways to celebrate the life of the ordinary French people, particularly the peasants whose industry fed the nation. In September, 1777 Marie-Antoinette had a farmers' market in the park at Trianon to inaugurate the opening of her new gardens. The Queen wore peasant attire and served at an outdoor "tavern." Pierre de Nolhac describes the market thus:

A market-place was set up on the lawn...where the baker, the confectioner, and the purveyor of charcuterie(1) dispensed their wares...and even the cook's shop was busy in the open air. All these stalls were connected by a garland of roses....

There were shows of all sorts....Actors...gave several performances on an improvised stage....The avenues leading to Trianon were lined with the booths of Paris shopkeepers who had been engaged to come, their expenses being paid. (Pierre de Nolhac's Marie-Antoinette, 1905, pp.226-227) more...

Even today I much prefer going to various specialty food stores or an open air market to shop. It is an adventure. This time of year, in this area farmers are beginning to sell the fruit of their labour, cantaloupes, squash, grapes, zucchini. We can find sausages in the fall and winter, and hams from Smithfield. It's better than Walmart any day...

Once again thanks to Elena-Marie.

Jhesu+Marie,
Brantigny

(1)A delicatessen specializing in sausages, ham, pâtés, and other cooked or processed meats.

Blessed Kateri Tekawitha / Kaia'tanó:ron

The blood of martyrs is the seed of saints.

Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and John de Brébeuf were tortured to death by Huron and Iroquois Indians, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom, Auriesville, New York. She was to be the first person born in North America to be beatified.

Her mother was a Christian Algonquin, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four, Kateri lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Blackrobes (missionaries), but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Blackrobes who lodged with her uncle, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. She refused to marry a Mohawk brave and at 19 finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri (Catherine) on Easter Sunday.

Now she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday, she received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God’s love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people.

She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest, she stole away one night and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village at Sault St. Louis, near Montreal.

For three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, in charity and in strenuous penance. At 23 she took a vow of virginity, an unprecedented act for an Indian woman, whose future depended on being married. She found a place in the woods where she could pray an hour a day—and was accused of meeting a man there!

Her dedication to virginity was instinctive: She did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this, she and two friends wanted to start a community, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an “ordinary” life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. She died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips.

She was beatified in 1980.

Her Feast is celebrated on July 14.

The inspiration for this article came from an unsual source. As a case manager in this prison I have daily contact with corrction officers, many of who are native Americans who live in this area of North Carolina. One lead officer who knows I am a Catholic approched me some time ago and asked me if I knew about the Blessed Kateri Tekawith Conference which this year would be held in Raliegh, about 50 miles south of where I am. It was held on the 1st through the 5th of July at the new Raleigh Convention Center...


My wife and I attended a portion of this conference and were gratified to see the many people form all over the country who were there, and especially how many have devotion to the this woman. The ball room was pasted with the banners of the different Kateri Circles form around the United States and Canada.

The Raleigh News and Observor Article may found here...

A web site about this blessed is found here...

Truly this is a Saint for young people to take notice of, her steadfastness in the face of opposition is an example to be emulated.

A children's prayer for her canonization...

Kateri, loving child of God and Lily of the Mohawks, I thank God for the many graces He gave you. Help me to be more like you in my love for God and for people.

Give me a great love for the Holy Eucharist and the Mother of Jesus. Make me ready to make sacrifices for Jesus that I may save my soul and be happy with you in heaven.

Kateri, I love you. Always be my friend.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us.


Merci and a tip of the beret to Dalton Lynch.

Dieu le Roy! Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
Brantigny